Ice Age 5 Human's Return
by TheZombieExpert
Summary: A human is back and revisiting the Ice Age... Of course, she is a special human... She talks to animals. She'll make the journey, meet new creatures, long thought to be gone, and even discover a family member's past... The hard way. And it all started with the courage of one small burrower... *Gender Swap in this story! (ON HOLD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!)
1. Chapter 1

"Is it always gonna be the same thing, every morning?" Jim said. I put my hands on my hips and smirked. "Yeah. But you go hunting every morning... Why should I get a lecture?" I said. He rolled his eyes. "That's useful. I find my time more useful in spearing an antelope then exploring the wilderness... On your own, no less! What if your attacked by a Saber... Or worse a Mammoth?!" He said, picking me up by my waist and making growling noises I giggled and kicked my feet back and fourth.

"Don't be ridiculous. Mammoths are extinct." I said, pushing away from him as soon as he let my feet touch the ground. "I'm just saying, you should be careful... What if something happened to you?" A usual over-protective brother... Annoying as mess! "I promise I'll be fine. Now go." I pushed him away as I ran from his side and to the woods.

My name is Izzy and I'm an explorer. My brother, Jim, is a Hunter. Every day, I explore the woods to see if there's something new out there. Last time, I saw an Ant Eater and before that, Glyptodons. A whole family! I'm really on to something!

While I walked through the thick snow, my foot leaving a shoe print as I stepped, I felt around for my dagger and took it out, walking to the nearest tree, to mark the trail. I do it all the time, so I don't get lost. I made an arrow that pointed from the way I was going to the way I came. I made it thick so it was easy to see. I then kept walking. I felt a slight chill down my neck so I drew the hood to my coat up.

My coat was made of a special type of fur... My brother never told me what kind. Just that it was a birthday present. Who am I to judge? It kept me warm. While stepping, I started singing a tune as I stepped.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your eyes  
And when again they open, the sun will rise."

I singed as my arms swayed back and fourth. It was a lullaby my mother used to sing to me. I never forgot the words. My brother still sings it to me every night. I kept singing as I marked another tree.

"Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you."

I bit my lip and finished the indent on the tree. I put my knife away but I then heard a crack from behind me. I turned around and looked back... I was so certain... But I could be dreaming.

I then heard it again. I turned around sharply and saw small paw prints in the snow... "What?" I got on my knees and looked at them... "Molehogs? Excellent." I smiled. I then heard a rustling in the bushes. I just knew it was a Molehog. It had to be! Although, I can mistake them for possum tracks... But not this time! There's even a burrow trail. I stepped lightly on the snow and over to the bush... I pushed the leaves back and right there... Was a Molehog. And he was adorable!

"Oh, My gosh." I whispered, seeing my breath in the cold weather. The little Molehog then looked up at me and backed away. "No! No, it's OK... I won't hurt you..." I promised. And just like that, it stopped and... Stared at me? "OK... freaky." I bit on my lip.

I then heard a voice... "A human that can talk?" It didn't come from the Molehog. No way! I then looked at it again... Was it smiling. "D- Did you just talk?" I said... Nothing. "Ugh, I feel so stupid right now!" I literally slapped myself. "OK, that was weird..." It talked again? OK, maybe I'm not freaking out.

I have to admit, I've always felt a connection between me and wildlife... But this sort of connection? So, I looked down at the Molehog and smiled. "Uh... Say something again." I said. It looked at me. "You're a human that can talk." It said. I bit on my lip... But something still didn't make sense. "What do you mean, 'A human that can talk'? All humans talk... But animals that talk?" It shook it's head... I'm guessing this Molehog is a boy.

"Of course. All animals talk." He said. I rolled my eyes. "Right..."

"It's true! I can prove it." He smiled. "Wait, lets exchange personal info... Hi! I'm Izzy... And uh... You are?" I waited. "Louis." He said... He was absolutely adorable! I bit my lip. "Well, Louis... You said something about proving a point to me." I smiled, making a hand gesture that meant nothing to me.

"Right. Follow me!" He then stuck his head underground, leaving a burrow trail. I was stunned. This little thing could move fast. I followed the burrow trail, my feet pounding with every step. I felt as if I would fall at any minute but the only thing keeping my head up and my feet moving was that little Molehog, Louis. Not only was he adorable, he could talk. It's like a win-win here!

I then saw Louis make a sharp turn but when he did, I fell over a giant rock and landed in freezing cold water. I saw Louis stop and he dug his head out from the dirt. I glared at him, moping in the cold water. "Thank you... Thanks, that's exactly what I needed!" I complained, standing up and taking my now drenched coat off, freezing in the cold but feeling my skin go numb. "Sorry, I didn't know a puddle was there."

I had a feeling the animal was lying to me. I just sighed and started to ring out my black hair. "I'm sure you didn't." Just then, I heard a branch snap. I looked around and placed my hand on the dagger in my pants, just in case... "Don't do that! They'll think you're a threat." Louis interjected. I rolled my eyes. "Easy for you to say." And just then... I saw a Mammoth! I swear, I thought they were extinct!

"Is that..." I whispered. "Yep." He brushed it off. I then felt a little woozy... "Izzy... Are you OK?" I heard it as if it was an echo... Everything got black and I fell on the ground... I fainted. How delightful...

_**The song in the beginning is from "The Hunger Games" I do not own it! **_

_***Just thought I'd put that out there...*  
**_


	2. Chapter 2

"Do you think she's OK?" I heard a voice... I decided against opening my eyes. "Why do you care about a human, Louis? It's because of humans that my dad lost his parents." OK, That was the mammoth. I know it. "Yeah, but... This human is different. She can understand me." Louis... I then tried to say something but it came out a moan. "Did you hear that?" Louis said. "Yeah, she's starting to wake up. So let's get out of here!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Peaches... Come on, just stay. Aren't you the one that's looking for adventure?" I waited but there was only silence. I opened my eyes... Both the animals were looking over me. I groaned. "How hard did I fall?" I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. "You took a hard fall." Louis said. I nodded. "Thanks." I sat up straight and rubbed my forehead.

"OK, now I'm convinced... You both can talk." I said, pointing at both of them. "Told ya." The molehog smirked. I giggled and just stood up. I reached around my belt for my dagger but, It was gone. "Where's my dagger?" I asked, feeling every inch of my waist for the invisible handle.

"Yeah, well, she was paranoid so we took it from you." Louis told me. I bit down hard on my lip. "Oh, father's gonna slaughter me! I'll be made into a coat!" I complained, covering my eyes. "It wasn't my idea!" He said, throwing his paws in the air. I rolled my eyes. "Just give it back to me at the end of the day. OK?" I asked him... "OK." He agreed. "Great..." I looked at the mammoth and smiled brightly.

"What?" She said. "Nothing, I... I thought you were all extinct." I said... When I looked at the creature... I felt as if she was familiar... I then just shook it off. "So... Peaches, is it?" I asked, scratching the back of my scalp, then smoothing my hair down. "Yeah..."

"You aren't the only one of your kind, are you? How many more are there?" I was desperate! This is the most amazing thing that's happened to me! "Whoa, slow down!" She said. I blinked. "No, I'm not the only one. I don't know how many more there are... a lot?" She shrugged. I bit down on my lip...

"That's great." I smiled. "Izzy, you can't tell anyone! Humans might try and... Hunt them." Louis warned. "Oh, I would never! My brother only hunts antelope... At least as far as I know..."

"So... Can I see the other mammoths?" I said, crossing my fingers behind my back. "I don't think that's the best idea." Peaches trailed off. "I understand... You don't know me. Only natural for you not to trust me." I sighed.

"That's right, I don't trust you! Nor do I trust any other of your kind!" The mammoth said, huffing and her tusks practically boxing me against the wall. I nearly screamed but swallowed it down as a moan.

"Peaches! Calm down! It isn't her fault." Louis defended me. I just shook my head. "No, it's fine, I... I better be heading back anyway." I said, walking away. "Aren't you gonna take your knife?" She said. "I'll deal with he lectures. Keep it." I turned to walk away. This wasn't a way to grab sympathy. My dreams were just trampled into the dirt. I understand why she should feel protective of her kind. So I'm just gonna... Give up and find a new dream.

I just kept walking when I heard footsteps behind me. They were heavy and so was the breathing. I knew it was Peaches so I didn't bother turning around. "Why are you following me?" I said, sitting down on a rock, feeling a chill from the cold air. No response...

"Where are your parents? Where's your mother?" She asked me. I felt a stinging in my heart but answered.

"My mother? She died protecting me from a pack of Sabers... My father doesn't like to talk about it." I hung my head low. It's our fault her father doesn't have his parents but it's the animals fault that my mother died. Call it even.

"I... I didn't know." She said. "Hey, no big deal. I'm doing just fine..." I trailed off. But there was some things I regret. "But I wish I knew what she looked like... This is all I have left of her." I grabbed the necklace around my neck and clutched it in my hand. The silence carried and I turned to Peaches who had a guilty look on her furry face. I bit my lip.

"Peaches..." I let it build. "Thank you." She was now confused. "For what?"

"You might not know but... You're species was something that I've only dreamed of seeing! And now that I've met you... And literally talked to you, It's made my life perfect. Thank you." I smiled at her. She pulled her bangs away with her trunk and then smiled herself. "You're welcome... I guess?" She shrugged. I did the same and then turned to leave. She left back down the trail she came and I sighed...

While walking, I started humming the lullaby again... Minutes passed and I stuffed my hands into my pockets, walking back home.


	3. Chapter 3

Once I made it to the village, I saw my dad and brother, debating on who needs to de-bone the fish tonight. I mentally smacked myself. Jim looked up and smiled. "Hey, little sis! How was your walk?" He asked. I smiled and the words threatened to creep out of my mouth but I bit my tongue. "It was fine." I smiled. Just then, I heard growling noises! I looked up and saw... "Sabers! Run!" I heard my brother yell.

I looked up at growling sabers and ran to my brother. "Izzy, get out of here! Go, now!" He yelled. "Izzy! Get out of here! Listen to your brother!" I heard my dad shout. I looked up and saw the sabers advance and run for the camp. "Dad, what's going on?" I said. "Izzy, leave." He firmly said. I looked at the sabers and ran for it. "She's running! Go get her!" I heard someone shout in a deep voice. I just kept running until I slipped in the snow. I heard more growling noises and turned around, just in time to see the fierce Saber pounce over me.

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this." It growled... I wasn't shocked anymore. "Then enjoy it while it lasts!" I sneered, kicking the tiger across the snow and running. Turning my head, I looked at the tiger, chasing after me and I then looked forward before stopping in my tracks, seeing the cliff before me.

I turned around and it started coming towards me. "So one of the intellectual speaks..." He smiled his sharp teeth smile. "And now we have a crossing story. Too bad I won't be around to speak it huh?" I smirked. "Yeah... too bad." He scoffed. "Well, this is a rewrite. Say hello to the unpublished manuscript." And just like that, I turned on my heels and jumped from the cliff and onto the ice. I shook the snow off my head and stood up... There was water underneath the ice. I wanted to run, but I couldn't bring myself to move...

I heard a sharp crack and looked down. The ice split in between my legs and I watched as it split across the lake. "Oh boy..." I said, jumping to one side of the ice but then, part of it broke off and I fell into the freezing cold water. It hit me like 1,000 knives stabbing me at once.

I tried to swim but it was so cold. I grabbed the huge block of ice and then let it out. "Help, please! Somebody! Help me!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I watched as the ice started to float away from shore and I screamed again. I heard very heavy footsteps and then the ice cracked... "No! Help!" I screamed once again before sliding down into the water... The cold water encircled around my entire body and I sunk down in the water...

I then felt something grip around my arm. It was something furry. I then felt a little warmer and fell down on the snow... I felt pressure on my chest and the water threatened to come through the closed valve that kept me from breathing. I felt the right thrust and spit it out, feeling a ribbon of air, slip through my lips. I started coughing.

"She's alive." I heard a slurred voice say. "But... Who is she?" Another deep voice say. "She's blue, Manny. Doesn't look good." That voice... It was so familiar! "We need to take her back. Come on." I felt something grip around the collar of my jacket and I felt a warm patch of fur. And then sudden pressure and warmth but that hit me like a kick in the stomach! I let out a little moan.

"Diego! Be careful!" I heard someone shout. Feeling a blanket of warmth cover me and then agonizing silence! I finally got my strength up and opened my eyes... I looked up and saw... A mammoth? I was on a mammoth's back? What is this?! But that was the last thing I saw before everything went black...


	4. Chapter 4

**Third Person P.O.V**

The strange trio carried her back to the rest of their family. Diego was doing the best he could to keep the purple lipped girl from shaking. Soon, her trembles were silenced and they returned home. "Manny, what happened?" The mammoth's scared wife, Ellie, said. Her voice was showing concern and confused. "Something happened and... We just had to take her back." Sid, the dirty sloth, said. "What?" She asked.

Diego stood up and they saw a human! Ellie's eyes went wide and the possums near her feet climbed up Manny's legs. "What is it?" Crash said, tugging on the girl's hair. "It's a human, and she's hurt! Knock it off!" Diego growled. The possums backed away and the tiger rested his chin on the girl's chest, trying to keep her warm.

"What happened to her?" Ellie asked. "She nearly drowned. And she was separated from her heard." Manny told his wife. "Well, what should we do?"

"Wait for her to wake up?" Sid suggested. "Are you insane?! She could try to attack us!" Crash snapped. But it was too late. The girl let out a little moan and started to sit up. Everyone of the animals jumped in surprise, leaving Diego falling on his feet from the Mammoth's back. The girl blinked a few times before falling off Manny's back and running. "Stop her!" Ellie shouted. Diego sprung into action.

The girl slipped on the snow and then picked up a tree branch to defend herself with. Diego snarled viciously and the girl swung the branch at him. He ignored the branch and then tackled her to the ground. She dropped the tree limb and started to pant, cowering and breathing heavy, scared for her life. But then... the growling stopped as Diego looked into the girl's eyes... He saw something in her eyes...And he went back to that moment. That moment when he almost had the baby in his grasp but the mother leaped from the cliff, into the falls.

He backed away from the girl who had her eyes clenched shut and was stunned... Who was this girl? She opened her eyes and propped herself on her elbows, looking at the tiger, who was stunned.

She shook the snow from her hair and stared at him. "Do I know you?" They both said. Then stopped. "You can talk?" Diego was staring at the girl. "Of course I can." I smiled. "But wait... You can understand me?" He asked again. "Uh... Yeah." She said. He girl tried to stand up but then fell back, feeling a pain in her left leg. "Ah!" She whimpered. "Wha- What's wrong?" The tiger went from vicious, to confused, to concerned in less than 2 minutes.

"My leg... It hurts!" She pulled up her pantleg and saw blood trickling down a cut on her knee. She nearly screamed but covered her mouth. "Oh, what am I gonna do? How will I get home?" She said on the verge of tears... Diego felt sorry for her. "Diego! What happened?" He heard a familiar voice. "Peaches! Go to your father! Get out of here!" he said. "Wait..." The mammoth insisted, walking past the tiger. They both looked at each other. "Izzy?" Peaches said at the same time Izzy said her name...

"OK, what have I missed?"


	5. Chapter 5

~Izzy's P.O.V~

"OK, let me get this straight, you were gonna kill Izzy but because of me, you didn't?" Peaches said, still confused. I shook my head. "No. Something stopped him... There I was, about to lose a vital organ or something, him standing over me about to claw my face off... And he stopped. I don't know." I shrugged while holding onto her. She offered me to ride on her back and being in my condition, I couldn't exactly say I was fine. So I agreed.

"I told you, I don't know what stopped me... I thought I knew you." The tiger said. "Well, thank you. And in this case it's Thank you for not tearing my lungs out." I said and then flinched with my leg hitting Peaches side. "Sorry! I'm trying not to hurt you." She said. "No, I'm OK. Really..." I wasn't. I felt like I was gonna pass out. But when we came back, you know what I saw? Two other mammoths, a sloth and two possums. "Peaches, move!" One of them said, raising it's trunk to hit me. I ducked behind her and almost screamed. "No, dad! Don't hurt her... She's not dangerous." She defended me.

I bit my lip. "Really... I don't want to hurt you. I don't have anything to hurt you with." I claimed, throwing my bag on the ground. Then, the possums went through it. "What is this?" One of them held up my necklace... A special amulet my dad made. "Oh, no! Be careful with that." I said. The possums thought it was funny and one chewed on it while the other pulled on the string. "No, give it back, please!" I begged. They just ran around the female mammoth's feet and then the tiger let out a vicious growl. They dropped it and he picked it up with his teeth, giving it back.

"Oh, thank you." I pulled it passed my neck and it hung around my collar. "So you claim you won't hurt us... Then why did you run?" The tiger said. "Uh... Guess I was in shock. I mean, this isn't exactly a group you would picture to be together..." I started. "We know." The female mammoth said. "I'm Ellie and this is Mannie." She said. I pointed at the two of them silently memorizing the names of each. "He's Diego." She said, pointing at the tiger. "That's Sid." The Sloth. Wow, can you say contradiction? And this is Eddie and Crash, my brothers." She finished.

I looked in confusedness... "Brothers...Right." I went alone with it, pretending I knew what was going on. "So, why are you here?" Diego asked. "My tribe lives here. I've spent most of my life here. So why are you here?" She asked. "Basically, we're getting rest before we have to make a trip again. It's almost Winter." Mannie told me.

"Yeah, and getting colder and colder by the day. Ow!" I said, whimpering at my wound. "Oh, wow, what happened?" Ellie said. "I fell. Don't worry. I've got something." I went through my bag, pulled up my pantleg and wrapped a strip of cloth around my leg a few times and pulled it back down. "That's better. So, where are you headed?" I asked. "Oh, we're going to Glacier Pass." He said. "Really?! That's probably where my tribe's gone! There's a settlement on the other side." I told them. Sid looked up at Mannie with a weird expression and Diego looked at the two. I crossed my arms. "Is it OK if I travel with you? I don't want to go there on my own." I said.

"I dunno... Can we trust you?" Diego said. "Really? I'm the one with trusting issues?" I said, putting my hands on my hips. "Dad, please! She's not dangerous! She wouldn't even hurt Louis!" Peaches begged. "Well, Wiener doesn't count, Peaches. I'm not putting my family in danger. I want to know the truth... You promise not to hurt my family, you can tag along." He said. I yelled out in happiness, "Yes!"

I heard Diego laugh and I looked back. "So, when do we leave?" I asked. "Tomorrow. Tonight, we're camping out here. Since your the human, you get to make the fire." Mannie said. I rolled my eyes. "Alright. Guess I better hurry. Night's more colder than day." I went around in my bag and pulled out my gloves and walked around in the woods, looking for, well... Wood. I broke a small, thin tree down with my foot and broke it up in pieces for the firewood. "Need some help?" I heard. I turned around to see Peaches. "Oh, hey... Yeah, sure. Can you uh... Give me a hand?" I asked, holding a log that was too heavy.

She wrapped her trunk around it and lifted it up. I grabbed another one and held it over my shoulder, along with some twigs. We went back to where we were sleeping, which was a deep cave, and I put the wood down. Peaches put the log down first, I put down the other one, and then piled the twigs on top before I got two separate rocks and cracked them together a few times before I saw sparks.

I then lit some dry pine needles on fire and put it under the logs. That caught fire and soon it started to warm up. I tugged my jacket up over my shoulders, rubbing my hands together. I could still see my breath but it was helping. Diego and Sid sat down near me. "You did good." Sid said. "Yeah, better than you." Diego said back. "Oh. Please."

I rolled my eyes and took my gloves off, putting my hands near the heat and feeling them De-frost. "Warm enough?" Diego asked. "Yeah, thanks. You guys, I just want you to know that I'm grateful. Didn't think my friends in life could be animals..." I wondered out loud. "Well, we're here for you, Izzy." Peaches said. "Thanks..." I bit my lip. "So, what happened? Why were you in the river?" Ellie asked. I let out a breath.

"Sabers attacked my tribe." A gasp came from Sid and I rolled my eyes. "And what did you do?" Mannie asked. "What any daughter would've done. I listened to my father. He told me to get out of there, but a saber cornered me to a cliff... So, we argued before I got the brilliant idea to jump... Bad Idea. The water underneath the ice basically paralyzed me... But I guess it carried me to shore. So, that's my story." She said.

"I'm sorry, Izzy..." Ellie said. "No... But, I am scared... I don't even know if my family made it out alright..." I looked down, forcing back tears. "Izzy... Where's your mother?" Diego asked. I sniffed. "She died when I was an infant. This is all I have of her." I held up the necklace.

"I- I'm sorry to hear that." He looked down. "Don't be sorry. I swear, if I ever find the person responsible... They won't be able to see sunlight again." I growled angry. Some of the heard stared at me as if I was a homicidal maniac. But I forced myself to look down. "Well, I'm tired. Goodnight." I laid down where I was and put my face in my arms, yawning. "Night, dad." I heard Peaches say. "Night, mom."

"Goodnight, sweetie." Ellie said. "Goodnight, Peaches." Mannie replied. I bit my lip as sleep washed over me like a warm water shower...

~The Next Day~

"Come on, we've been walking for hours! Can't we get a break?" Peaches complained to her dad. "We'll stop when we find a good place to stop." Mannie said. I rolled my eyes. "How do you do this?" She asked me. "I dunno. Don't get tired easily..." And just then, I fell back from a blast. I looked up at a chasm. "Oh, Gods." I said, looking down inside... "Ugh, smells like burning monkey." I said, pinching my nose. "Is it that or Do-Do flesh?" Sid said. "What?" I asked. "Oh, ignore him, Izzy. Come on, gotta keep moving. Your heard doesn't stop moving." Diego said, nudging my legs. I sighed and rubbed my nose. "Where are we headed now, Diego?" I asked. "Uh... For now, forward." He said. "Ah...Basically." And then, I tripped over something. I looked down at the log and then looked around... "This place seems familiar." I said. "Really?" The possums ran around in circles. "Seems deserted to me." One said. Don't know which.

"No, like... Like I've been here before... Anyone else get that feeling?" I asked. "Uh... Not really." Peaches and Ellie said. I looked at the other three who kept silent. I clicked my tongue and felt a chill. More snow fell from the sky, coating the ground in another blanket of white. "Well, lets keep moving, huh?" I then froze... "Wait a minute..." I climbed up over the side of the cliff. "One of you, stop her!" I heard. But I was already over. I then screamed. One of the sabers.

Another vicious growl came from over my head. Diego leaped in front of me, protecting me. And then froze. "Zeke?" He said. "Diego?" The other one said. I grabbed a chunk of wood from my side and threw it at the tiger. It fell over itself. "Run!" I yelled to the others. Just then, I struggled to get up. My pants got caught on a branch from the bush. I tugged on it but nothing. Then a growl came at me. I looked at the tiger who charged at me but I managed to release my pantleg and kicked the tiger in the face. "Run, now!" I yelled at Diego. He did and I ran behind him, catching up with the others.

"What happened? It's like you knew him." I said, falling on a boulder and gasping for breath. "I... I did, once. But I thought he was dead." He said. "Well, then... It's now clear we're being followed. Everyone please, be cautious... Not one more mishap." I begged. "OK, Peaches, stay close to me- Where'd Peaches go?" Mannie looked around, clueless. I growled. "Great... A loose teenage mammoth? Well, everyone take a break, I'll be looking for hours!" I said, walking towards the woods. "Hold on, I'm coming!" Mannie yelled, following me. I shrugged. We walked into the woods and I pushed branches out of my way and made a small path by kicking the leaves.

I started to hum the lullaby that I sang earlier... "What are you singing?" Mannie asked me. "I'm not singing. I'm humming. It's a lullaby my mother use to sing to me, apparently. I go by what my brother says." I shrugged and dug around in my bag, pulling out my knife. "Whoa! What're you doin' with that?" Is he serious?

"Relax! I'm not gonna stab you... I'm marking the trail." I walked over to a tree and carved an arrow in it, pointing backwards. "It'll show us where we are if we walk in circles." I said. "That's good... Where'd you learn that?" He said.

"It's an old tribal trick. Instead of animals smelling which direction they go, we mark the trails." I said, blowing some bark off the blade.

~1 Hour Later~

"This doesn't make a lick a sense... After an hour, you'd think we'd find her!" I shouted with anger, my foot tapping the ground. I got so mad that I threw my knife from my hands and stabbed a nearby tree. "Y'know, that's making me question your sanity." Mannie remarked. "Oh, get over yourself." I walked up to the tree and yanked it from the bark, slipping it into my bag... I then heard something. Sounded like teen laughter. "Guess who? C'mon!" I ran off in that direction. Guess what, way off the trail! The further I got to the voices, the more calm I became. And then I heard another familiar voice...

"Louis?" How did I remember that? I can barely remember names and then I just said that out of nowhere? Wow, I'm getting better.

"Your telling me that Mole-Hog followed us?" Mannie remarked again. I rolled my eyes. "Calm down. Peaches! Hey, where are you?!" I shouted out. And then I saw her walking towards us. Yeah, I saw Louis' little burrow as well. "Now... You wanna tell me where the heck you've been?" I said. "Sorry, I got... Sidetracked." She said. And I looked down, waiting... "I know it's you, Louis." His head and body crawled out of the hole.

"Sorry if we caused you any alarm, sir." He apologized to Mannie. "Alarm?! My daughter was missing for an hour and a half!" He shouted. "Dad, I'm fine! I didn't get hurt!" Peaches tried to reason with him. "You deliberately disobeyed me!" He yelled. "Okay! Manny, can I talk to you for a second over here, please?" I said. "Why?"

"Now!" I yelled. He reluctantly followed me out of their ear shot. "Okay, I know your a little ticked off, but you've got to learn to control your temper! She's still a teenager. She's gonna make mistakes. And in time, it'll be her business to learn from them." I said. "But she was missing for an hour and a half! This is definitely the time to get mad!" He yelled. I smacked my forehead. "Your not listening... Just, try not to be so hard on her! In safe terms, she was with someone responsible... And he's not a wiener." I crossed my arms and he huffed in anger. "I was a teenager once. We all were. And like every teenager, the more your parents yell at you, the more you wanna rebel. Soon, it'll be a family mutiny. Just... Try an calm down once in a while." I said. He was finally getting it. "OK, I'll try." Mannie agreed. "Good start."

I turned around. "Peaches, we're glad your safe, and now, we must return back to the rest of the group, cause right now, I can't feel my toes." I said. Just then, I saw Louis' face. He was looking at my leg. "What happened to your leg, Izzy?" He said. I looked down... The blood was leaking from the bandage through my pants. "Oh great." I pulled up my pantleg and saw that it was getting worse. But it didn't really hurt!

"Don't worry, Louis... I fell. Not so bad." I lied. "Really? Cause it looks terrible." He scampered over to me and I felt his paws wrap around my ankles. I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt." I said. That was the truth. "Hey, Izzy... I've got an idea." I heard Peaches say... "Really?" I stepped over to the side. "What if Louis tags along with us?" She said. I then grinned. "That would be_ Really_ fun!" I turned back around to Louis...

"Louis, I have a question." I got down on one knee. He looked up with hopeful eyes. "Peaches And I wanna know if you wanna come with us on our trip. We're going to Glacier Pass to catch up with my tribe." I said. "Wow... You want me to come along?" He said. "Of course! Its cause of you that I met them!" I patted his head and he rolled his eyes. "I think that would be great." I looked up at Mannie. "Whaddya say, Mannie? Wanna bring 'em along?" I asked. He groaned. I then glared him down, reminding him what I said...

"Long as he doesn't slow us down." He said. "Great! Come on, we have to go back to the cave!" Before I could stand up, Louis jumped onto my shoulder. I smirked. "Wanna ride, bud?" I joked. "Like you even had to ask." He said. "All right. We're moving out." We followed my trail markings all the way back to where the rest of the _herd _was. The possum brothers made remarks about Louis, calling him Wiener and stuff.

Sid was going on about something, not important enough to remember what, and Diege kept looking at me skeptically... Its like he wanted to tell me something... But he just couldn't. Dunno what's holding him back. Doesn't matter, I'll ask him if I ever get a chance. Maybe when we make camp tonight...


End file.
